Pharmacists radio rally against cuts

The Protect Pharmacy Patients coalition today unveiled an aggressive radio ad campaign, “Devastating Cuts,” aired on WGY-810 AM, WROW-590 AM, and WDGJ-1300 AM, blanketing the Albany airwaves with calls to roll-back $50 million in budget cuts to the pharmacy sector.

The cuts, scheduled to go into effect July 1st unless reversed by the Legislature, will hurt New York’s most vulnerable populations, including patients who rely on Medicaid, Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC), and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), according to advocates.

The state’s budget problems led to a last-minute reduction to pharmacists who fill drugs for the state’s Medicaid and EPIC patients. The 2.25 percent cut means an estimated $50 million loss to the state’s pharmacies, according to advocates.

Update: The cut was included in the Executive budget from this January, and was not a last-minute reduction.